Just thought I would share my ministerial experience of this past Thursday.
Every year our hospital has a memorial service and invites the families (and friends) of all who have died in hospital to attend. This year's service was held this past Thursday evening.
I did not write the liturgical script, but I was asked to be a part of it. Chaplain Jerrye (our head chaplain who did write the script), Chaplain Gaye, Chaplain Cheryl (our intern), and I were all included.
My role was to play "Amazing Grace" on the keyboard and to give the summary eulogy. I had not played a keyboard instrument since I left Alabama five years ago and I had never played one quite like that one! With only 20 minutes of practice time, I did not have time to figure out anything fancy. Everyone thought I did fine but I am certain any quasi-musician in the crowd probably noticed that I had trouble going from E flat to A flat. I guess after 5 years, ones fingers forget.
And for the eulogy, the Spirit definitely guided me! Jerrye had written a basic eulogy and told me to add, change, or expand as I saw fit. I carefully wrote in some notes and then rewrote the eulogy on a separate piece of paper and stapled it to my copy of the master program. When we went down to the chapel, I was holding the music book and my master program was marking the "Amazing Grace" page. We set up the keyboard. I tried it out for a few minutes. Then I looked for my notes. They had completely disappeared!! The music book was there -- but not my notes. I know they were in the music book when we walked into the chapel. I never saw them again.
The reason I know the Spirit was with me is that I had to ad lib the whole eulogy, trying to remember what Jerrye had written on the original and combining it with my memory of what I had added or modified.
I know that I was not speaking. I asked to Spirit to give me the words -- and she did!! Everyone was very pleased with the eulogy. I am convinced that I said something that someone there needed to hear. I do not know what and I do not know who. Or maybe it was something in my notes that the Spirit did not want me to say!
And my master program with notes never appeared!
Roberta Meehan, ARCWP
Every year our hospital has a memorial service and invites the families (and friends) of all who have died in hospital to attend. This year's service was held this past Thursday evening.
I did not write the liturgical script, but I was asked to be a part of it. Chaplain Jerrye (our head chaplain who did write the script), Chaplain Gaye, Chaplain Cheryl (our intern), and I were all included.
My role was to play "Amazing Grace" on the keyboard and to give the summary eulogy. I had not played a keyboard instrument since I left Alabama five years ago and I had never played one quite like that one! With only 20 minutes of practice time, I did not have time to figure out anything fancy. Everyone thought I did fine but I am certain any quasi-musician in the crowd probably noticed that I had trouble going from E flat to A flat. I guess after 5 years, ones fingers forget.
And for the eulogy, the Spirit definitely guided me! Jerrye had written a basic eulogy and told me to add, change, or expand as I saw fit. I carefully wrote in some notes and then rewrote the eulogy on a separate piece of paper and stapled it to my copy of the master program. When we went down to the chapel, I was holding the music book and my master program was marking the "Amazing Grace" page. We set up the keyboard. I tried it out for a few minutes. Then I looked for my notes. They had completely disappeared!! The music book was there -- but not my notes. I know they were in the music book when we walked into the chapel. I never saw them again.
The reason I know the Spirit was with me is that I had to ad lib the whole eulogy, trying to remember what Jerrye had written on the original and combining it with my memory of what I had added or modified.
I know that I was not speaking. I asked to Spirit to give me the words -- and she did!! Everyone was very pleased with the eulogy. I am convinced that I said something that someone there needed to hear. I do not know what and I do not know who. Or maybe it was something in my notes that the Spirit did not want me to say!
And my master program with notes never appeared!
Roberta Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
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